Wireless communication devices are used for services such as voice and video calling, Internet access and web browsing, media streaming, messaging, email, and the like. To receive these services, wireless communication devices connect to a wireless communication network. Wireless communication networks include wireless access points spread over a geographic area through which the wireless communication devices can register and receive wireless access to the wireless communication services.
The wireless access points use antenna systems to exchange electromagnetic signals over the air to support the wireless services to the wireless communication devices. Beamforming technologies use advanced amplification and phasing to control the direction and shape of the energy field propagating toward the target wireless communication device. The energy field near the wireless communication device is projected and enhanced. Effective beamforming typically requires feedback from the wireless communication device, such as its location and received signal quality. The feedback is used to direct the proper amount of energy in the proper direction. Wireless access points may enter a reserved state, which disables the traffic path from the wireless access point to the connected wireless communication device(s). When a wireless access point enters the reserved state, the wireless access point must be manually reset on-site.
Overview
Examples disclosed herein provide a system, method, hardware, and software to detect a sleepy-cell condition. A wireless communication system comprises a remote radio head that receives network data comprising user data and beamforming instructions from a baseband unit. The remote radio head transfers the user data to wireless communication devices over wireless column beams responsive to the beamforming instructions. The remote radio head further detects a loss of the beamforming instructions for a time threshold and responsively transfers a sleepy-cell alarm indicating the baseband unit.